Its a game changer for me. Not only can i run my entire business from an iDevice, but it opens a whooole new market for me as a music teacher, particularly in schools who are buying into tablets already. Never has the opportunity for teaching people how to make music with technology that they already have or are buying into for other reasons been so easy. I am already starting in Feb teaching electric guitar to small groups using the iPod Touch, Amplitube and a Jamhub. These Synthstations are a natural extension to teaching all sorts of things from keyboard to composition. I am excited about what the next 2 or so years are gonna bring with development in this area.

Digital_Damage wrote:I'm not sure where this fits in to the scheme of things. I could kinda see it being used on stage, but almost useless for production.

How is it any more useless than any other hardware synth?

But I'll admit after yesterday's excitement I'm decidedly less excited until a bunch of other developers jump on board. After the initial keyboard investment it will be awesome when you have a large collection of unique synth/drum machine/daw hybrids you can buy for $10-$15 a pop. I used to think it was a bargain when I could add library cards to my hardware synths for $200 and that was mostly just a bunch of presets.

Digital_Damage wrote:I'm not sure where this fits in to the scheme of things. I could kinda see it being used on stage, but almost useless for production.

How is it any more useless than any other hardware synth?

But I'll admit after yesterday's excitement I'm decidedly less excited until a bunch of other developers jump on board. After the initial keyboard investment it will be awesome when you have a large collection of unique synth/drum machine/daw hybrids you can buy for $10-$15 a pop. I used to think it was a bargain when I could add library cards to my hardware synths for $200 and that was mostly just a bunch of presets.

That is exactly the point, what benefit is there for this unit against the mpk49 for production? I think you would lose a lot.

But like I said I could see it on stage for some, but it is silly for production.

Digital_Damage wrote:I'm not sure where this fits in to the scheme of things. I could kinda see it being used on stage, but almost useless for production.

How is it any more useless than any other hardware synth?

But I'll admit after yesterday's excitement I'm decidedly less excited until a bunch of other developers jump on board. After the initial keyboard investment it will be awesome when you have a large collection of unique synth/drum machine/daw hybrids you can buy for $10-$15 a pop. I used to think it was a bargain when I could add library cards to my hardware synths for $200 and that was mostly just a bunch of presets.

That is exactly the point, what benefit is there for this unit against the mpk49 for production? I think you would lose a lot.

But like I said I could see it on stage for some, but it is silly for production.

But like any external gear if nothing else it's one less thing hitting the CPU on the computer.

In a total DOH! moment I looked at the thing and was at first disappointed in the lack of hardware controls, completely missing the point that the majority of the magic happens on the touch screen.

Part of the point for this unit is that it can replace controllers in your current set ups. It allows the integration of the iPad in a really nice way, not only the use of iPad recording apps, but treating it like a ext hardware synth in your set up. Its got a nice place to sit while using it. Yes there will be a bunch of basically useless apps released this year, but someone will create a remote slider/encoder app or a control type app that extends the unit as a production center. I think the point is the tactile feel of real keys and pads combined with a tablet for the other stuff.

Digital_Damage wrote:I'm not sure where this fits in to the scheme of things. I could kinda see it being used on stage, but almost useless for production.

How is it any more useless than any other hardware synth?

But I'll admit after yesterday's excitement I'm decidedly less excited until a bunch of other developers jump on board. After the initial keyboard investment it will be awesome when you have a large collection of unique synth/drum machine/daw hybrids you can buy for $10-$15 a pop. I used to think it was a bargain when I could add library cards to my hardware synths for $200 and that was mostly just a bunch of presets.

That is exactly the point, what benefit is there for this unit against the mpk49 for production? I think you would lose a lot.

But like I said I could see it on stage for some, but it is silly for production.

You speak from the point of view of someone that's clearly not tried any of the excellent instrument apps for the iPad. Such as the Korg iMS-20, NLogSynthPro, Pianist Pro, etc etc. They are as good as any softsynth plug for a DAW. Better, because as beats has already mentioned, no CPU hit.

The exciting thing is that in one fell swoop we have another example of how Apple has changed everything. Again. The notion of lugging around a hardware synth or needing your laptop with DAW and softsynths is antiquated. Now, grab your iPad and show up anywhere for a gig or rehearsal or jam, dock or connect it to the new synthstation or whatever, and away you go. You've got an entire FUCKING ARSENAL of sound in a tiny device. As soon as all the devs get off their asses and get true full MIDI going, the entire game changes. You'll see gigs coming up in which all people will have is an iPad and controller(s). Hell, you're seeing that now.

And the beauty of it? It's only going to get BETTER. More powerful processors, lighter iPads, etc.

You speak from the point of view of someone that's clearly not tried any of the excellent instrument apps for the iPad. Such as the Korg iMS-20, NLogSynthPro, Pianist Pro, etc etc. They are as good as any softsynth plug for a DAW. Better, because as beats has already mentioned, no CPU hit.

The exciting thing is that in one fell swoop we have another example of how Apple has changed everything. Again. The notion of lugging around a hardware synth or needing your laptop with DAW and softsynths is antiquated. Now, grab your iPad and show up anywhere for a gig or rehearsal or jam, dock or connect it to the new synthstation or whatever, and away you go. You've got an entire FUCKING ARSENAL of sound in a tiny device. As soon as all the devs get off their asses and get true full MIDI going, the entire game changes. You'll see gigs coming up in which all people will have is an iPad and controller(s). Hell, you're seeing that now.

And the beauty of it? It's only going to get BETTER. More powerful processors, lighter iPads, etc.

Oh, the Joy of it all.

No CPU hit? What plannet are you living on? You do understand how Midi works right? The whole CPU hit is bogus anyways, you are going to have a real hard time stressing a modern CPU these days.

You speak from the point of view of someone that's clearly not tried any of the excellent instrument apps for the iPad. Such as the Korg iMS-20, NLogSynthPro, Pianist Pro, etc etc. They are as good as any softsynth plug for a DAW. Better, because as beats has already mentioned, no CPU hit.

The exciting thing is that in one fell swoop we have another example of how Apple has changed everything. Again. The notion of lugging around a hardware synth or needing your laptop with DAW and softsynths is antiquated. Now, grab your iPad and show up anywhere for a gig or rehearsal or jam, dock or connect it to the new synthstation or whatever, and away you go. You've got an entire FUCKING ARSENAL of sound in a tiny device. As soon as all the devs get off their asses and get true full MIDI going, the entire game changes. You'll see gigs coming up in which all people will have is an iPad and controller(s). Hell, you're seeing that now.

And the beauty of it? It's only going to get BETTER. More powerful processors, lighter iPads, etc.

Oh, the Joy of it all.

No CPU hit? What plannet are you living on? You do understand how Midi works right? The whole CPU hit is bogus anyways, you are going to have a real hard time stressing a modern CPU these days.

Really? You're saying sending MIDI to an external synth is going to hit the CPU as hard as a multi-layered preset in Omnisphere? You've actually sent MIDI to an external source and had that alone cause your CPU usage jump up 40%+?

You speak from the point of view of someone that's clearly not tried any of the excellent instrument apps for the iPad. Such as the Korg iMS-20, NLogSynthPro, Pianist Pro, etc etc. They are as good as any softsynth plug for a DAW. Better, because as beats has already mentioned, no CPU hit.

The exciting thing is that in one fell swoop we have another example of how Apple has changed everything. Again. The notion of lugging around a hardware synth or needing your laptop with DAW and softsynths is antiquated. Now, grab your iPad and show up anywhere for a gig or rehearsal or jam, dock or connect it to the new synthstation or whatever, and away you go. You've got an entire FUCKING ARSENAL of sound in a tiny device. As soon as all the devs get off their asses and get true full MIDI going, the entire game changes. You'll see gigs coming up in which all people will have is an iPad and controller(s). Hell, you're seeing that now.

And the beauty of it? It's only going to get BETTER. More powerful processors, lighter iPads, etc.

Oh, the Joy of it all.

No CPU hit? What plannet are you living on? You do understand how Midi works right? The whole CPU hit is bogus anyways, you are going to have a real hard time stressing a modern CPU these days.

Stereo inputs on that bitch. You thinking what I'm thinking LSZ? But are there even any apps that can run different effects on multiple inputs?

*weeping uncontrollably*

ST, no dual input apps that I can think of - certainly none of the amp modelers have those because it's all done via the headphone jack anyway. But I'm sure that will change now that this has come about.